Same source image. This was the first “real” thing from reference I tried to paint since the mid 90s. I figured after a year I’d try again and see how I’ve progressed. What do you think?
The 2024 version
Timelapse https://mastodon.social/@BallShapedMan/115256481266601680
Your 2025 version gives me anxiety… which isn’t a bad thing because it’s definitely got character. But it’s no quaint farmhouse.
It’s the harsh lines creating movement in different directions, the disjointed porportions, the lighting — like a lovely summer day— in contrast with the deadness of what should be a lush background. Meanwhile, the demon tree of pain is drawing focus like a DMT nightmare.
Did you take the goddamn fear toxin before painting this?
I love it. I would honestly hang it up because it’s got a vibe.
I didn’t see it that way until you mentioned it. Instead of accidental renaissance it’s accidental terror. Bob Ross would call it a terrible little accident lol.
Thank you!
Bob Ross would be an angel about it.
But to me, the problem could be trying to find shortcuts to paint what it seems like instead of what it is. If you want a more accurate representation, try to be ridiculously intentional with every line, no cutting corners. Picasso could draw realistically before he experimented with cubism.
On the other hand, lean into this disconcerting theme and at least everything you do will be interesting.
Thank you!
The reference image
Really like your stroke work except for the foliage of the tree. ¿Looks like you used some scatter spray tool? It looks a bit out of place to me (to harsh) and also the ends touching the horizon leave the square stroke visible when imo a rounded cap would look more natural.
New image also greatly benefits from the wider framing to show us the surroundings with a more colorful palette 🎨 as a contrast to the house (foreground).
Thank you! And help me see what you mean about the square stroke and so on.
As for the scatter brush I used a pencil brush and lightly shaded to try and give the illusion of detail without painting every single branch. Without zooming in it feels like I did that to me but I’m also the one painting it. Still trying to figure out how to paint trees… They’re so hard.
Yeah, the illusion looks quite good from afar (eg the thumbnail for the post) but full screen I noticed that many of the strokes emulating leaves at the contours of the tree end with straight edges perpendicular to the branch rather than being more rounded or have some noise that breaks up the straight lines.
I mark up what I mean here:
Oh I see what you mean. That’s totally what I did with the pencil. I’ll keep an eye on that next time!
